No Other Way
by Meffisto
Summary: I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this.


Here's something I have been working on lately. Just got the idea of it and wrote it down quickly. Thanks and enjoy.

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She felt alive in his arms.

The increasing pain in her head, the numbness of her legs and the deep and jagged battle wound that ran across her belly she all forgot as soon as he reached out and clutched to her tightly. How wonderfully ironic that her body felt like shit yet she never felt so blissful and happy in her life. If mindlessly throwing herself into battle was all it took for Gray to touch her then she would happily risk her life everyday just to steal a few moments with him.

It didn't matter that her blood was freely flowing and staining the earth red. It didn't matter at all that her vision was starting to get blurry. All she knew was the feeling of his skin against hers, cold yet completely extraordinary.

She couldn't help but slump against his strong form. She didn't even have the energy to close her eyes, much less raise her arms to return his embrace. So she rested against him, praying he wouldn't mind. She could feel the rain pick up and shower over them, from where she was on the ground Juvia watched as the water slowly washed away the blood. There was so much of it.

"Stay with me Juvia, _please_" Gray whispered to her. Juvia had never heard him sound so defeated. _He knows Juvia won't make it. _Gray confirmed her thoughts when he tightened his arms around her fragile form.

Juvia tried for the last time. To her Gray's words were absolute, whatever he commanded of her, she would do without question. But in this situation, she found it wasn't as easy to follow. All she wanted to do was to remain in his embrace and drift away. Her body didn't comply to her, no matter how hard she tried to move.

Her cheek was pressed against his bare chest and she could hear the strong beating of his heart. She hang onto that sound. To her it symbolized that everything was going to be fine, as long as his heart continued beating, as long as he was still breathing, she knew that he would make it. _Even though Juvia won't be by his side anymore, she knows Gray-sama will be alright. He will live_. It didn't matter to her that she was bleeding to death and her breathing didn't sound right.

Gray was with her and that was all that mattered.

Her mind drifted to her guild mates. She couldn't help but be sad at the thought that she wouldn't get to experience more things with them. They would grieve for her, she knew but she hoped that they would all move on. She hoped with everything in her heart that they never forget her, that Gray will always remember the time that they had together. _Gray-sama won't be alone, he will never be alone and they will make sure of it._

"Everything's gonna be alright Juvia, just stay with me" she heard him say, his voice started sounding very faint to her, like he was far away. Again she tried to move, only being able to produce a weak nod. She readied herself for what was going to come, she could only hope that she would leave this world in peace. Juvia wouldn't want her Gray-sama to see her in agony in her final moments.

She faintly felt him bury his head in her hair, she heard him apologize and beg her, over and over.

"_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please just stay, just stay and I swear I'll keep you safe. Please, please, Juvia, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, just stay with me. Don't leave me." _His voice dropped to a whisper with his last words. He repeated and repeated them to her, his usually strong and solid voice now sounding broken. She could feel his heart pick up pace against her cheek as his body shuddered and tensed.

How she hated herself for bringing him sorrow. She knew that her death would open old wounds for him. _But he will live. He must._

Gathering all her strength she tried saying something, her throat felt dry and she felt like it was closing up. Tears swelled in her eyes as she managed to raise her head a little to whisper in his ear.

There were a lot of things she wanted to say to him. She wanted to say that she loved him with all her heart and that she was sorry for leaving him like this, she wanted to comfort him and tell him that it was all going to be fine and this was not his fault. She wanted to say how great he was and that she couldn't imagine a better person to love. _But he knows now, all of what Juvia wants to say, he has already heard._ So she thought of the words she knew he needed.

"_I forgive you Gray" _

With that her lips turned up into a small sad smile. Her vision started darkening and she could feel her last breath come.

She heard him refuse that she was leaving him, she heard him curse her for it. In the end she only heard Gray say her name in choked up cries of desperation.

She felt him pull back to look at her and she was thankful that she got to see her beloved before her sight failed. It didn't matter that his face was bathed in rain and tears, all she knew was that this was the face of the man that changed her life.

_And in return I give it all to you._

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this.

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Thanks for reading. Review if you like. :)


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